1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to social networking and more particularly to the provision of information through temporary social networks.
2. Related Art
Social networks may be provided by social network systems that provide an online service, platform, or site that operates through a plurality of computers connected over a network such as, for example, the Internet. These social network systems facilitate the building of social networks or social relations among people who share interests, activities, backgrounds, real-life connections, and/or a variety of other characteristics known in the art. Such social network systems typically consist of a representation of each user (often via a user profile), the user's social links, and any of a variety of services.
One of the many services provided by social network systems is to obtain information about businesses from users of the social network and provide that information to other users in the social network. For example, a user may interact with a business and then rate the business and/or write a review about that business such that the rating and/or review are stored on the social network system. Other users may then retrieve the rating (or an aggregate rating of the business by a plurality of users of the social network) and/or the review(s) in order to help to determine whether or not to interact with that business. However, such conventional systems suffer from the deficiency that that information provided about those businesses (e.g., the reviews and ratings) is “stale” or old, i.e., such information was typically provided days, weeks, months, or even years prior to the date that such information is being retrieved. As such, the user retrieving that information may be provided an inaccurate view of the business, particularly with regard to the date on which the user is retrieving that information and likely considering interacting with the business.
Thus, there is a need for an improved social networking system.
Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are best understood by referring to the detailed description that follows. It should be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identify like elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, wherein showings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.